The U.S. Soccer Federation has invited reporters to join in on a 1 p.m. (ET) conference call Wednesday when more news on a new women’s professional league will be divulged. I don’t know much else, but spokesman Neil Buethe did call it a “major announcement,” in my brief conversation with him. I would be absolutely stunned if the Western New York Flash, who won the 2011 Women’s Professional Soccer crown, were not in this league. They were movers and shakers (and a major sponsor) of WPS in 2011 and I know coach Aaran Lines, his wife and team president Alex Sahlen have never wanted to be playing at any level that isn’t the tops. The fact that Sahlen texted me today asking what my preferred e-mail address is probably is another clue. Who else is in? Who is not? I don’t want to speculate, but my pal Jeff Kassouf from Equalizer Soccer said he’s heard the only two West Coast teams will be Seattle and Portland and there will not be a franchise in Los Angeles. Charlie Naimo, who coached the LA team in USL PRO last season and the powerful Pali Blues W-League side, pretty much confirmed that in a tweet, but said it had nothing to do with money. It had a bit of a whiny tone, too, so … read into that what you want. I’m OK with it and no offense to LA, but one West Coast trip per team per season is enough. Here is what’s somewhat odd, to me at least, about Wednesday’s conference all: Reps from the Canadian and Mexican soccer associations are going to be on it. If there’s a team in Vancouver, that’d be great, but that also probably means that is where Vancouver native Christine Sinclair, the former Flash forward who is from there, probably would play.

Jeff DiVeronica has covered professional soccer and the Rhinos for the Democrat and Chronicle since the team's inception in 1996. "Devo's Direct Kicks" takes aim mostly at Rochester soccer, but will also highlight the USL, MLS and U.S. national team play. Devo, his nickname since college at St. John Fisher, also hosts two weekly radio shows each Saturday on WHTK-AM/FM (1280/107.3 or www.whtk.com). "Kick This!" (11 a.m.) features soccer talk, while the Canandaigua National Bank High School Sports Show (noon) covers Section V sports. E-mail Jeff at jdiveron@DemocratandChronicle.com.
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